The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) are jointly organizing a second conference on the Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer: Prospects for Personalized Prevention and Therapy to follow up on the successful 2010 conference. This second conference will take place January 8-11, 2012 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel &Marina in San Diego, CA and will focus on the molecular and translational aspects of lung cancer research. Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates there were 222,520 new cases of lung cancer in 2010 (an increase since 2009) with 158,080 deaths1. The last 15 years of research have provided insight into the molecular nuances that stratify different types of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the past an approach to target all NSCLC with cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, a "one size fits all approach," provided a small measureable benefit but often with response rates of less than 20%2. Most recently, common molecular subtypes of NSCLC have been found, allowing for more targeted and subtype-based treatment selection. The most studied genetic variant in NSCLC is mutation in the gene encoding EGFR. Patients with this mutation have a better response rate to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as gefitinib or erlotinib, than those without the EGFR mutation. Similarly in 2010, the molecular subtype of NSCLC with ALK fusions emerged to the forefront as a clinically relevant and treatable oncogenic mutation. The ALK fusion subtype of NSCLC responds to a different drug than those lesions with an EGFR mutation (~57% response rate to crizotinib), highlighting the need to understand an individual's tumor genotype for optimal treatment. Emerging advances in the field of lung cancer research that require multi-disciplinary attention are: genetic mutations that confer resistance to treatment, the other molecular sub-types of lung cancer, and the possibility of screening for early detection reported in the results of the November 2010 NCI National Lung Screening Trial. This conference will bring together over 300 investigators from the basic, clinical, and translational disciplines of lung cancer research and provide them with a venue to discuss their recent advances, test new hypotheses, and establish new collaborations. As in our past successful conference, presenters will also discuss molecular mechanisms of chemoprevention, early detection, cancer stem cells, epigenetics, novel therapeutics, clinical trial results, and many other topics. This conference is not only a dynamic collaboration of the AACR and the IASLC, two organizations committed to the study of cancer, but also a dynamic collaboration of the many types of scientists and advocates that are needed for the well-rounded study and treatment of this disease. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death in the United States and accounts for 29% and 26% of cancer-related deaths in men and women, respectively. The American Cancer Society estimates there were 222,520 new cases of lung cancer in 2010, accounting for ~14-15% of all new cases of cancer diagnosed (an increase since 2009)1. Given the complex underlying genetic alterations in tumors and the complication of contributing environmental factors, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the disease from the view of patient advocates, physicians, basic, translational, and clinical scientists. This forum, provided by the collaboration of AACR and IASLC, will be critical for developing new ways of diagnosing, studying, and treating lung cancer.